Contribution to quality education and critical thinking in the context of teacher education: A teaching model through socioscientific scenarios

Abstract

Critical thinking is a fundamental skill that enables individuals to approach knowledge inquisitively and to develop their problem-solving abilities. For pre-service teachers in particular, acquiring this skill strengthens pedagogical processes and equips them to employ instructional methods that promote students’ critical thinking. This study aims to enhance pre-service teachers’ critical thinking skills and increase their awareness of the concept of quality education by employing socioscientific scenarios addressing Sustainable Development Goal 4-Quality Education. The research was conducted with 57 pre-service teachers using an embedded mixed-method design. During a 14-week instructional process, the participants engaged in dialogue-based discussions on socioscientific scenarios framed within the Sustainable Development Goals. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments were administered at the beginning and end of the intervention. The findings revealed that teaching practices based on socioscientific scenarios focusing on quality education significantly improved pre-service teachers’ critical thinking skills (pre-test M = 37.58, post-test M = 40.02; t =-3.35, p=.001, Cohen’s d = 0.44) and increased their awareness of the concept of quality education. The results emphasize the need for the systematic integration of critical thinking skills into teacher education programs. Accordingly, promoting teaching approaches and instructional models that foster critical thinking can contribute to the development of a sustainable and inclusive education system.